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An Indiana woman vanishes three weeks before her wedding.
CASE DETAILS On July 22, 2001, 28-year-old Marilyn “Niqui” McCown of Richmond, Indiana, stormed into her mother’s kitchen. She was upset over two “creepy” men who had harassed her at the laundromat. Niqui’s mother, Barbara McCown:
 Detectives discovered her abandoned SUV Niqui may have been upset, but police believe she returned to the Laundromat anyway. No one knows for sure, because on that day, Niqui disappeared. Police had trouble believing that Niqui would take off when her wedding was just three weeks away. They suspected foul play, but without a body and with no apparent motive, they had nothing to go on. The day she disappeared, Niqui set off to do the laundry, while her fiancé, Bobby Webster, met his best man to be fitted for their tuxedos. Michelle McCown-Luster is Niqui’s sister:
 Her folded laundry was found in her car But Niqui’s wedding was not to be. Police believed that if Niqui returned to the laundromat, she may have been confronted, if not abducted, by the two strangers. On Monday, July 23, the day after Niqui’s disappearance, Bobby Webster contacted Richmond Police to report that his fiancé was missing:
Shortly after Niqui disappeared, Bobby began acting very strangely. Instead of postponing the wedding, he cancelled it entirely, demanding a full refund from the reception hall. Next, Bobby tried to return his wedding band for cash. But the manager refused. Niqui had paid for the ring and her name was on the receipt. Allegedly, the argument nearly turned violent and Bobby had to be escorted from the store. Bobby says the reason for his behavior was that he needed the money to help pay for Niqui’s search:
But detectives weren’t convinced. They asked Bobby to take a polygraph. At first, he refused, but later he agreed. According to Richmond, Indiana, Police Sergeant Bradley Berner:
 Niqui and her fiancé Bobby denies that he failed the test. He claims neither he nor his lawyer ever saw the results. Niqui was gone for three months before detectives got their first break in the case. On November 5, 2001, her SUV was found at a large apartment complex in Dayton, Ohio, 45 minutes east of her home in Indiana. Police believed it had been there for weeks. The door lock was punched-out, the ignition had been hot-wired, and the stereo was missing. Michelle had hopes that the car would lead to her sister:
Sergeant Berner believed an important clue was left in Niqui’s SUV: her neatly folded laundry:
If Niqui had been abducted from the laundromat, why would her clothes be neatly folded in the back seat of her SUV? And who drove her car from Richmond to Dayton? Then police were surprised to discover that Niqui had an ex-boyfriend who lived in the same apartment complex where her SUV was found. But after further investigation, he passed a lie detector test and had a solid alibi. It was another dead-end. However, police later discovered that Niqui made a phone call to a co-worker who lived about a mile from where her SUV was found in Dayton. They talked about beauty products and the friend told Niqui she could purchase the items she was looking for in Dayton. Police began to wonder if something had happened to Niqui in Richmond, Indiana, in Ohio, or somewhere in-between. Police believed her SUV might have been left in Ohio to distract attention from Richmond. That theory lead police back to Bobby Webster and his strange behavior after Niqui disappeared. Niqui’s sister, Tammie Hughes, has trouble believing Bobby had anything to do with her Niqui’s disappearance:
Niqui’s mother, however, isn’t so sure:
Police continue to follow up on other possible leads, while also keeping a close eye on Bobby Webster. Watch this case now on Amazon Prime in season eleven with Robert Stack and in season six with Dennis Farina. Also available on YouTube with Dennis Farina. Various seasons available now on Hulu. SUBMIT A TIP |
The crows child
Look for her in the waters,the pipes,and the forests.
Anonymous
This case completely threw me off. All of our rules are out the window when dealing with a police officer that knows everything we look for.
Dark Goth
I don’t believe Niqui McCown’s fiancé had anything to do with it at all. I think it was the co-worker who committed suicide. Wasn’t he obsessed with Niqui?
Anonymous
You are absolutely correct. Frustration is understandable. What you have to look out for are those with no emotion at all. He took the polygraph and should have been eliminated as a suspect. But he may have thought he was the person being targeted. So to say no to having anything to do with it, may have triggered high blood pressure.
ONE-OF BEHOLDER
IM THINKING BOBBY MET HER UP THERE AT THAT LAUNDRY MAT BECAUSE OF HER SAYING SOMETHING ABOUT THE GUYS THAT WERE BEING WIERD, IF NOT MET HER AT THE LAUNDROMAT MAYBE SHE STOPPED AT HOME TO MEET WITH BOBBY EITHER WAY HE DEFINITELY DID THIS, AND IF FOR NO OTHER REASON I BELIEVE THIS. LIKE WHY WLD HE POND THAT STUFF ASA HE DID, FIRST I THOUGHT LIKE MAYBE HE WAS INSECURE AND ASSUME SHE WAS WITH ANOTHER MAN, SO HE GOT ANGRY ANS PONDED THE STUFF BUT THEN I REALIZED HE WOULDA JUST SAID THAT WHEN ASKED WHY HE DID SO, SO YEA THAT MAN WILL NEVER LIVE A COMPLETE HAPPY LIFE, IVE KNOWN A FEW PEOPLE IN MY LIFE TIME THAT GOT AWAY WITH PURE MURDER BECAUSE OF NO EVIDENCE BUT THE STREETS KNEW FORSURE, ITS ALMOST LIKE WATCHED SOMEONE DIE OF A TERMINAL ILLNESS, THEY TRULY NEVER GET AWAY WITH MURDER ITS LIKE U CAN SEE THRM SLOWLY DIEING THERR WHOLE APPEARANCE EVENTUALLY CHANGES FOR THE WORSE ITS OBVIOUS THERE HUNTED, CANT SLEEP, THERR PARANOID ALWAYS, THE GUILT EVENTUALLY TAKES OVER AND THEY SUFFER HORRIBLY SO IF HE DID IT FORSURE HE WONT HAVE LONG BEFORE HIS PHYSICAL APPEARANCE TELLS IT ALLNO MATTER HOW HE TRIES TO KEEP HIS SELF A FLOAT HIS DEMONS WILL SHOW LIL BYE LIL
Anonymous
When looking at missing women you may find a lot of disturbing people with infatuations. They have to be looked at as normal admirers. They could have abducted her without her going to witnesses and possibly the police.
Nick
Alot of people talking about Bobby did it and discussing him in the present tense, but he passed away in 2021. Poor guy lost his fiance right before their wedding and then spent the rest of his life being blamed and called a murderer for something he did not do. For thise who don’t know, Niqui had a coworker, Tommy Swint, who was obsessed with her, and who it was later discovered he murdered another woman named Tina Ivery, and he was indited for Niqui’s disappearance but unfortunately Tommy took the coward’s way out, and shot himself as police were approaching his home to arrest him for Niqui’s disappearance. Rest easy Bobby.
Madison
Bobby could have been the reasoning for this, but the real question about all these things about Bobby is why would he do it to his fiance? Clearly theres a lot there could be said. I do in fact think he couldve done it, but there has to be a reason why. Maybe he wasnt mentally okay, or he was using her just to do this. we dont know. Payton (Niquis daughter) has stated she wasnt going to see Tommy, and Tommy was doing well as a officer. So why would he ruin that?
Anonymous
I feel more sorry for the daughter than anyone else. She is probably right. Whatever her mother was going to go see, it didn’t go according to plan.
Sara
Also,
People tend to commit crimes where they are most comfortable. Where they know their surroundings the most.
Sara
I wonder who the friend was that she contacted? Didn’t she live about a mile from the complex where the car was found? This woman talked to her shortly before she went missing. Her car was found in Ohio right? Wasn’t the conversation between the coworker and Niqui have something to do with makeup or something that this friend could get her in Ohio? I mean here’s where my mind is at with this.
Niqui calls friend about something with makeup or something she could get her?
Niqui goes to talk with this friend or pick her up to help her get something
Niqui’s car is found at a complex that her ex and her daughter used to live at, which mind you, the coworker she called lived about a mile from the complex!
I can’t help but think that maybe this woman had something to with her going missing…. I wish they could find her.
To Niquis daughter Payton, I hope that someday soon you and your family find the answers that you are looking for. I will do my best from where i am at to honor mother. Justice will always prevail.
Jenny from the Block
Scenario: She talks to a friend who recommends beauty supplies in the same town where her ex-boyfriend lives. Bobby knows where the ex lives, naturally. She tells him she is going to that town for beauty supplies, and he doesn’t believe her (pure insecure jealousy, of course). He kills her. Disposes of her body. Parks her vehicle at the apartment complex where her ex lives (which Bobby would know the location of). This is all staged to make attention fall on the ex. (Why the punched out door locks and hot-wiring? Because when the idiot disposed of her body, her car keys were still in her pocket.)
Kristy
The killer wasn’t Bobby but a corrections officers named Tommy Swint, who was also a friend of hers.
Anonymous
The location of the dropped vehicle kind of had me thinking the ex or Bobby. I was completely dumbfounded. I never thought in a million years it was a police officer.
Anonymous
The police know how to make cars look attractive for would be car thieves. I think the officer was banking on people to attempt to rob it and put their DNA all over it. (And they did.)
Monica
I remember this very vividly. I was just arriving to college as a freshman. Meeting many pl from all over the state of Indiana. I met some girls who knew her. at the time it was all over the news and stuff but I didnt dwell on it bc I was from East Chicago In . But in my dorm hall some girls came from Richmond and they knew her. Its very sad. I am much older now and much wiser. They know Bobby did it and he hid her well. They cant prove it so, No case. Her ex passed the lie detector. I think Bobby had an issue of some sort. She was a beautiful woman , her car was left by her ex’s home to throw off suspicion. I didnt know she had a child either, I see him down below in the comments. What did Bobby do with her? She wouldn’t have left her child,for what? Those men at the laudromat just made her angry and I get it . Men most likely always bothered her. Its annoying and insulting. I agree, if she were attacked at the laudro mat her clothing wouldve been a mess. Its like she simply walked away and we know she didnt just walk away. No female is running away with no car and no money… Id have to do something to Mr Bobby. He failed the lie detector test come on now. Then returning stuff for money , for what? Search? what you putting up billboards? search lights? Was he paying for air search? yea ok.. I mustve missed the part where they shared his alibi? I do remember his face still today from UM and like MANY other guests on the show, he is a liar and he is guilty.
Lashan
So sad I wonder if they ever found her
Payton Lackings
No my mothers case is still an open case
UM slacking
Yes unsolved: you should provide updates instead of commenters
Wayne
Was there ever any connection between Webster Swint & the father of the daughter?.Was Niqui ever threatened by a former inmate?. Did she know the owner of the laundry , or were camera `s placed in the laundry area in case of vandalism to the machine `s , and could also pick up the area in which the client `s were sitting?. How long was Webster away in California , between the time that Niqui & Webster met and his return , why did he return , and is there a Californian connection , why did Niqui not go with him in the first place , if they were engaged shortly after he returned.?
.
Anonymous
The laundry mat had nothing to do with anything. (Except her clothes found in the backseat.) This would be a good study case. I would fail it. The fact it was parked next to a relative means someone with knowledge. But the strangers at the laundry mat and the busted window make it look random.
HW
Still unsolved?
Payton Johnston
My mother was NOT seeing Tommy Swint I wish you people would please stop saying that.
Latonya Williams
Ok so how did Saint become a suspect in your Mom’s case?
thinkingoutloud
clearly the fiance had something to do with it. why be so concerned with having money to find Niqui? Why go otu of your way to refund everything for a wedding instead of being out and searching for her? i wonder if she had a scret will or something where if she would to disappear or die, her fiance would get all the money. seems fishy the same day she disappeared is the same day she was getting weird looks at the laundromat.
i think the fiance set her up… only three weeks before their wedding is suspicious. hope she is found eventually
Jibri
Yeah if he start talking to the investigators and maybe we’ll find out the truth about what happened to niqui.
S. Moon
There’s a lot of cases on this website that omit important information. This case is one of them. Please check Marilyn McCown’s case on the Charley Project website. They provide much more information including the man Marilyn McCown was seeing without her fiance’s knowledge around the time of her disappearance. He was sworn in as a police office, but forced to resign because he didn’t tell the police department about him being investigated in Marilyn McCown’s disappearance. He later murdered a prostitute, but before he could be arrested he committed suicide. Unsolved should really include more information, especially when it’s this important. I’ve noticed it with numerous cases on this website.
The Stumped Muffins
I love Unsolved Mysteries, it’s helped so many people. But this is very important! Don’t take everything on the show at face value! Look at government websites and news articles! As someone who used to work in law enforcement, I think it’s irresponsible to cast suspicion on people when there is no real evidence against them. If you want to help solve cases, PROVIDE ALL THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE! UPDATES THESE PAGES!
Monica
There are several episodes on this case and I saw this one as well. Which brings me back to BOBBY still. Im sure knowing that guy was police and murdered a prostitute , the police department was all over that. He didnt do it. Wasnt her vehicle found near his home?? theyre just saying it was an ex on this website, but i couldve sworn the ex boyfriend was the police . Bobby did it. I wont believe otherwise until its proven. bc the cop would be so easy to charge so why isnt he charged?? Bc he didnt do it lol you can look into his face on the segment and just watch him, its so clear TO ME that he is guilty .